will zombies ever be for real

[KeithShap]

I stated this in another part of this forum, but I figured I would post it here too. If zombies were to be created, besides the usual debate on whether they would be fast or slow, we would have to also worry about if they can distinguish between humans, or not. If the later, then not only would we have to worry about surviving them, but also basic survival in general. Even if an average zombie's life span was five years, and even if one zombie ate only one other animal per year. Five million, based on full scale apocalypse scenario, zombies would have eaten twenty five million animals, and that's if they only eat ONE animal per year. If you apply the basis of the location of the zombie, and the survivability of the surrounding animals. IF they are equipped with the instinct to stay away from the infected, whole other species` as we know it would be wiped from the face of the earth in a matter of months, not years.

[AUA]

I stated this in another part of this forum, but I figured I would post it here too. If zombies were to be created, besides the usual debate on whether they would be fast or slow, we would have to also worry about if they can distinguish between humans, or not. If the later, then not only would we have to worry about surviving them, but also basic survival in general. Even if an average zombie's life span was five years, and even if one zombie ate only one other animal per year. Five million, based on full scale apocalypse scenario, zombies would have eaten twenty five million animals, and that's if they only eat ONE animal per year. If you apply the basis of the location of the zombie, and the survivability of the surrounding animals. IF they are equipped with the instinct to stay away from the infected, whole other species` as we know it would be wiped from the face of the earth in a matter of months, not years.

Except, such diminishing returns would only be a problem with a Brooks/Romero style zombie; most zombies possible under current understandings of biology would be afflicted with a limited-zoonetic virus (as neural system vary across mammalian lineages) and/or would be limited to what is biologically possible ('zombie-style' hunting would be highly inefficient and would result in rapid attrition, a large percentage of infected would die outright instead of becoming a zombie due to various factors, etc).

Also....five month necro?

[KeithShap]

Ah, but the possible of today was impossible yesterday. Besides, mankind has been cooking up some of our own nasty little concoctions for some time. Some of the most major discoveries in science were made accidentally. I would actually find it a fitting end to a sad story, destroying ourselves would be a just end indeed. Even if it weren't man made, I would say that it could easily infect a couple million, giving the right circumstances. By circumstances I mean, if the virus was flu like in it's way to infect anyone, and a clear travel route. If it took time to take effect, I would say that it could easily spread around the world before anyone even really knows anything.

[AUA]

Ah, but the possible of today was impossible yesterday. Besides, mankind has been cooking up some of our own nasty little concoctions for some time. Some of the most major discoveries in science were made accidentally. I would actually find it a fitting end to a sad story, destroying ourselves would be a just end indeed. Even if it weren't man made, I would say that it could easily infect a couple million, giving the right circumstances. By circumstances I mean, if the virus was flu like in it's way to infect anyone, and a clear travel route. If it took time to take effect, I would say that it could easily spread around the world before anyone even really knows anything.

That's a truism, though; previous 'impossibilities' only became possible when we expanded our understanding of existing principles in conjunction (not against) empirical findings. Nylon, for example, was 'accidentally discovered' while trying to produce synthetic rubber, but was in accordance with existing knowledge of chemical bonding (it only occurred in a unique structure that hadn't be considered previously, because it was applied science, not pure science).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotating_locomotion_in_living_systems

^ The logic that applies to this also applies to zombies; just because something is theoretically practical doesn't mean that it is going to occur in nature, and just because something is theoretically impossible doesn't mean that it is in practice possible (and also, the second law of thermodynamics; perpetual motion is a physical impossibility, and our current understanding of biology makes 'reanimation' an incredibly minute possibility).

[engr-rn]

Yes. Maybe not Romero's zombies, or Resident Evil's zombies. But 28 Days Later's zombies. Looking at that movie, how unrealistic are the zombies? A blood and saliva borne pathogen that makes the infected being lose their self control, pain, and fear, and leaves them with nothing but the urge to eat, anything. Wait..that's Rabies. How long do you think it'll be before someone in a terrorist (or non) country realizes how powerful it would be to drop this on some island (North America, England, Australia, Africa, etc) and watch it destroy itself?

I agree. I've seen people in Drug and alcohol withdrawal, steroid psychosis, dementia(caused by Alzheimer's or a stroke for example), delirium(which any infection can cause and usually reverses when the person gets well), etc. act like your stereotypical zombie except for the craving for human flesh part(though they do bite,scratch, etc) So a biological weapon containing some substance that causes this kind of behavior isn't so far fetched. Our best weapon is to have our eyes open and hopefully catch the process in its early stages.


Tina

[engr-rn]

From a purely scientific perspective, I cannot see zombies in the Romero sense ever existing beyond means that defy the natural laws of physics, and the known observations of biological processes (not only would it be peculiar that the organism would sacrifice all else for food consumption, but that they would be so selective as to their food source to make themselves a threat to humanity; not only that they would come back from the dead, but that they would stay alive, indefinitely, violating the second law of thermodynamics, or that they would defy the conventional laws of chemistry, with their conventional biological configuration).

In other words, I don't see it happening.

I think if you see it not as a food source, but as they may be getting something else out of it (a drug or biochemical perhaps), then it makes more sense. Romero-style zombies have been shown in movies eating other food sources(the lady in the nightie grabbing a bug off a tree on night of the living dead comes to mind), but they may just seek human flesh out because it gives them something specific that they lack.

[KeithShap]

But again, who's to say that just because it hasn't been discovered that it doesn't exist? Gravity, radiation, molecular structures all existed before we knew about them. Some of which were considered magic because it wasn't understood. Even if it doesn't exist, doesn't mean that it won't in the future. What I'm saying is, just because we don't understand it, doesn't mean it isn't possible, or it doesn't exist. Just that we haven't discovered it yet.

[DoomsdayReady]

Fellow Zombie Hunters,

Interesting topic, Zombies, No Zombies. In some ways are society is already infested by Zombies. Brainless bodies of flesh walking around living off of others not being able to make heads or tails out of reality. Pretty much what we have come accustomed to seeing in most Zombie Movies. But for those of you wanting for a more realistic Zombie to hunt in your neighborhood, think about the medical testing our government and other governments. Even in search for the thousands of cures our research scientists are working on mistakes "WILL" happen and things that we cant see or understand will get loose. Imagine a scientific study to find the cure for Mad Cow Disease going wrong and getting into the food chain. Any of these things could eventually lead to an out break of "So-Called" Zombies of one type or another.

Good Hunting Zombie Hunters...